What’s a Finsta Account and Why Does Your Teenager Have One?

Who here has enough trouble keeping up with just one Instagram account? Well, recently we were hanging out with a friend’s (much) younger sibling and found out that many teens have two accounts going on at all times: a finsta and a rinsta.

What’s a finsta? Finsta is an abbreviation for “fake insta,” but it’s actually a place for people to post their real, unfiltered and unedited photos. These accounts are almost always set to private and have a select following made up of only close friends.

What’s a rinsta? Rinsta is an abbreviation for…you guessed it, “real insta.” This is what we old folks have (and secretly loathe at times). Your rinsta is your public profile, where you post those dreamy vacation shots and ridiculously photogenic cappuccinos—or in your teen’s case, well-lit bathroom selfies with their friends.

It sounds like a lot of work if you ask us, but it’s also understandable given how many of us get our first impressions of people online. Which begs the question: Perhaps we should all just have finsta accounts?